So I ran for the very first time in a race yesterday. It had to be a 10k one too because I am stubborn. I ignored all advice on taking things slowly and gradually increasing distance (don’t be like me, I do a lot of stupid things). I did have a month of preparation though. I nearly backed out at the last minute, owing to the fact that I felt like I was going to come down with the flu and I was banking on only 4 hours of sleep the night before. Still, I am proud to say that I went through with it to the finishing line with no injury or accident (probably because I walked half the time).

Adidas King of the Road singlet and their awesome finisher’s medal

Anyway, here are some tips I received from my officemates who regularly join marathons (helpful for a beginner like me):

Don’t forget to stretch and warm up before each run.

A bar of chocolate is a good energy snack/breakfast food if you think you can’t handle anything heavier before running.

Check singlet sizes beforehand. If it’s in a European size, get at least one in a size smaller than your usual size.

Don’t forget to wear sunscreen!

Bring a cap to protect your face from the sun.

An armband pouch is an important accessory to own, especially if you have no pockets.

Get enough sleep the night before, and make sure your body is in the proper condition.

I never realized that running could be so much fun. Joining a race is also a great motivator for training regularly. I’m really looking forward to the next run soon! I’ll definitely be more prepared when that comes.

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Hi.

This is the personal blog of teskaraptor aka bananatree. Yes that's me, a 20-something nurse working in the IT field. If you ask me to choose one word to describe myself, I would choose "weird."